This week, reality star Pradhyuman Maloo came out as straight after nearly the entire internet mistook him for gay.
The 30-year-old designer is one of several contestants currently looking for love on the dating show Indian Matchmaking, which premiered on Netflix earlier this month.
But after rejecting 150 women, fans began to wonder if maybe the reason Maloo couldn’t find a partner had more to do with him than the women he was being paired up with.
Am I the only one who realizes Pradhyumans is gay??#IndianMatchmaking
— Sarah Masters (@SarahMathers34) July 16, 2020
pradhyuman is giving me strong gay vibes… Sima needs to bring in the boys! Spice this up #indianmatchmaking
— Mer (@Meribeauty) July 18, 2020
I'm guilty of this as well… Thinking #indianmatchmaking pradhyuman is in the closet and is gay. However that would be stereotyping. If he is I hope he finds his truth. But if he's not and he's truly waiting for the right woman and a cosmic connection that is okay too!
— oceanthinks (@oceanthinks) July 18, 2020
Maloo finally addressed the rumors in a lengthy Instagram post on Monday, explaining that being on Indian Matchmaking was “an intense process” that pushed him “out of my comfort zone,” but “For those of you who are curious, I am not gay nor bisexual.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Evidently, he’s just very, very, very picky.
Scroll down for seven more guys who had to come out as straight after everyone thought they were gay or bisexual…
José Eduardo Derbez
The 27-year-old Mexican actor and the son of filmmaker Eugenio Derbez and telenovela actress Victoria Ruffo came out as straight last fall after a thirsty photo he posted to Instagram somehow ignited reports that he was bisexual.
Speaking to the Mexican magazine Cosas in February 2020, Derbez said he’s “quite aware of what I am, what I have, and what I want,” adding, “If I were gay, if I was bisexual, I would have said it. I would not limit myself.”
Related: Mexican actor José Eduardo Derbez once again addresses bisexual rumors after thirsty photo reveal
Neil Jones
The Strictly Come Dancing star told The Sun in May 2020 that, contrary to 18 months of tabloid reports, he is not a homosexual, though his mother wishes he were.
“In ballroom there’s a lot of straight guys,” Jones said. “Mum was always like, ‘It’s a shame you’re not gay because we could go shopping together’. And I was thinking, ‘whether I’m gay or not there’s no chance, you take forever’.”
Related: Reality star Neil Jones finally addresses gay rumors
Maluma
The Colombian singer and international heartthrob broke the hearts of gay and bisexual men the whole world over during an Instagram Q&A in February 2020.
Asked whether he was gay, the 27-year-old laughed and said, “People are stupid, aren’t they? How can they say I’m gay?”
He continued, “If I were gay, I would have already spoken about it. The one who said that I am gay, lend me your girlfriend to see how gay I am.”
Related: Maluma addresses gay rumors head on
Josh Mair
The Love Island star addressed rumors about his sexuality in July 2018 after he said things were “getting out of hand” regarding a photo he took of himself in some very short-shorts.
“For everyone wondering no I am not gay or bi sexual, I never have and never will be,” the 21-year-old bodybuilder announced on social media. “I have nothing against gay or bi people either before anyone throws that card at me, people can see and date whoever they like.”
Related: Reality star addresses gay rumors head on
Antonio Pavón
The Spanish reality star found himself at the center of gay rumors earlier this year when one of his fellow Survivors 2020 co-stars, José Antonio Avilés, claimed the two hooked up in a hotel room prior to filming.
To disprove the rumors, Pavón took a lie detector test on the show Sábado Deluxe, where he admitted to having had a homosexual experience in the past. When asked to elaborate, he said it wasn’t anything serious and that he still identifies as straight.
“At the moment I am not gay, I am straight,” the 38-year-old said. Then, taking a jab at Avilés he added, “If I take the step tomorrow, it will be with a handsome guy.”
Related: Reality star takes polygraph test to squash gay rumors… then admits he’s fooled around with guys
Odell Beckham Jr.
The NFL star confronted rumors about his sexuality head-on in an August 2019 interview with GQ.
“Honestly, I wasn’t offended,” Beckham said. “I’ve never once had no problem with anybody who has their own personal life that they live. I have friends who are gay. It was almost more funny to me.”
He went on to say he has “no problem with anyone’s sexual orientation,” adding that “Love is love. If you’re attracted to somebody, you’re attracted to somebody.”
Related: New York Giants football star Odell Beckham Jr. addresses gay rumors head on
David Zepeda
The hunky telenovela star announced he’s 100% heterosexual back in January 2019 after multiple Spanish language media outlets reported he had broken up with his girlfriend of eight years, actress Lina Radwan, after coming out to her as bisexual.
“I want to make it clear here that I am not gay and I am not bisexual,” Zepeda said in a statement. “For me there is nothing more beautiful than women. Nothing.” He added that he totally respects LGBTQ people, he’s just not one of them.
Related: Telenovela star denies bisexual rumors, says there is “nothing more beautiful” than a woman
WashDrySpin
when you have to Google who these men are; it greatly diminishes the so called “celeb” status you are so willing and so eager to bestow upon them
DomitoJo
LOL so true!!
jlew64
Thank you… I thought I was just me being out of the loop again!
SumSay
Celeb or celebrity doesn’t mean “famous people who I know” or “people who I think are famous “. It applies to the whole, not the individual. These people may or may not be celebrities to certain groups of PEOPLE not persons.
Kangol2
I’d never heard of several of these guys, but Odell Beckham Jr. (star NFL receiver) and Maluma (international musician) are pretty well known. ODBJr. has repeatedly been labeled as gay or bi, because of his fashion sense, his actions, and comments, and his response have been refreshingly non-homophobic. Whatever his sexual orientation, he appears to be comfortable with himself on that front, however childish his behavior may be in other areas. He also looks incredible in a kilt (Google it), and put Lena Dunham in her place, so he gets extra points from me.
Donston
Almost none of these dudes “came out” as “straight”. They either claimed that they weren’t “gay” or they talked about how it shouldn’t matter. That’s not the same as saying that you’re “straight”. But even claiming that you’re “straight” doesn’t mean a whole lot. As long as they ain’t on no hateful shit just leave people alone. Whatever they wish to share with the public, whatever their sense of self or identities are, and wherever they may fit within the gender, romantic, sexual, affection, emotional investment, relationship contentment spectrum is their business. Playing “gay witch hunt” tends to just instigate resentment, homophobia and (if they do happen to be “queer”) gay shame.
kevininbuffalo
Who?
Eddie Yemaya
Jim Jordan? Matt Gaetz?
Coruna2018
Kangol2,
Just because you haven’t heard of him doesn’t make David Zepeda any less a major star in the Spanish-speaking world than he is. He’s a mega-star from Mexican telenovelas that are streamed to other Spanish-speaking countries. He’s also a singer with hit songs in Spanish.
Let go of your American exceptionalism!
Vince
Coruna2018
Oh my. I can’t believe I didn’t know who this was. A soap opera star!@!!!! Where’s ma fan. Oh my gosh. Lol
Kangol2
Coruna2018, are you kidding? What “American exceptionalism” are you talking about? Is Maluma from the US? No, he’s from Medellín, Colombia!
Please direct your tirade elsewhere. All I said was that I might not know who most of these guys are beyond ODBJr. and Maluma–who is not from the US.
I was not casting aspersions on them. Whew, reading is fundamental!
jjose712
Really?
You can count Ricky Martin or Ian Thorpe, both come out as straight when everybody thought they were gay.
Well, they were really gay but they come out as straight if that was the point
DomitoJo
oh yeah, that’s a very good point!
Donston
These types of articles are pretty much Queerty/Graham “straight lusting”, pretending as if the closet doesn’t exist, acting as if they don’t know anything about sexuality or the orientation spectrum, identity peddling and narrowing people down to sex and “labels”. It’s semi problematic, especially since almost known of these dudes gave much real insight yet alone claimed that they’re “straight”. But we should be used to this stuff.
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
A couple of these guys will be straight till the “ pain” of not being authentic winds them up on a Oprah special to come clean which will coincidentally coincide with having made enough $$ too not need ogling teenyboppers money anymore ( see: Ricky Martin)
Scorpjr
Even if those choices were all as calculated as you make them sound, so what? Lying about his sexuality is really only morally questionable, and the rest of it is just America being entertained.
ScottOnEarth
Odell Beckham, Jr., gave the only respectable response. These other assholes were clearly panicked and scared, adamantly declaring their heterosexuality…..while saying the cliched, “not that there’s anything wrong with it.” When will speculation of one’s sexual orientation not be weaponized?
Donston
The problem is sexuality in general is weaponized from ego, sociological, political and economical aspects. The nature of people is curiosity. So, “speculation” shouldn’t be that much of a problem. But speculation is also used to demean and belittle and fetishize people, even many “out” people use speculation or the idea of someone being closeted to belittle folks. It all goes back to phobias, toxic masculinity, identity dependence and non-hetero insecurities. But the fact that so many don’t understand sexuality, internalized phobias, fluidity or the romantic/sexual/philic orientation spectrum doesn’t help either. There’s just not enough understanding or education for “speculation” to not be a problem.
Patrick
Hardly famous celebrities. I have never heard of any of them & judging by their comments & descriptions, I have not missed a thing.
Adamxxl
For the boys – gaychat.design (Link)
mz.sam
Maluma, Gay?? What a horrendous insult to the LGBTQ community and needs to stay locked up in his Hetero hole.
M149
There’s no such thing as “coming out as straight”
johnnymcmxxx
Who are these people & who cares? A collection of temporary “celebrities” who are not stars. They will fade from everyone’s memory soon.
Cambriaguy
Not one of them is a real celebrity or star. Rather freaky and dull to me. Maybe announcing they are straight is a way to get more publicity?